Sanitary foot mat



'Jan. 30, 1923.

A. P. RITTER. SANITARY FooT MAT. FILED JUNE 26. 1920,

. 'residentof the city of Chicago, in

, Sanitary Foot -Mat; and I Patented en, so, 192a Ano irn rnrr'rnn, or oHIoAs ILLINoIs:

SANITARY room MAT.

1 Application filed June 26,

i To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Anonrrr P. Rrr'rnn, a former subject of the Czar of Russia, who has declared his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, and who is a the county of Coolrand State of Illinois, have invented certainnewand useful Improvements in a do hereby declare that the following is a full, clearand exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification. i

This invention relates to an improved construction of sanitary foot mat, and is particularly designed to take the place of the antiquated foot scrapers, and also to sup plant the door mats now commonly in use.

An object of the invention is to provide a foot heat which is automatically kept clean and sanitary and one whichfno dirt is allowedfto accumulate. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a. sanitary foot mat which is flush with and fixed in the surface of theupavement, and which therefore, cannot be lost or stolen, and furthermore obviates all; danger of stumbling or falling over the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sanitary foot mat from which all dirt is removed as soon as deposited, and

which, therefore, positively prevents any subsequent carrying of the same dirt into the house.

Further and other important objects of this invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the lower portion of a flight of steps'with my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of'my in1 proved sanitary foot mat. p Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on th line 3-3 of liigure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, 9

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated.

As shown on the drawings: The reference numeral 10 indicates a flight of steps having my sanitary foot mat 12 in ing ends QSand v be obvious 920. Seria No; 391,894..

position thereon, the. mat being held in place by a frame 14 countersunk flush with the pavementv 16. Screws iixedly lioldingtheframe 14 in the pavement I The mat or grid 12consists of-a plurality of parallel bars 22 made in any preferred the shoes ofthe user.

by experiment to operatemost eflectively. v .]To further holdthem positively in position:a transverse across the middle portion of the grid 12,;as best. shownin Figure 4. I 1 I 1 The grid. 12., is providedwith grid in position, as will 18 i are provided for parallelslop- 30, adaptedto slide into and fit with correspondingsloping sides of the casing 14.. Iii-this way the two screws20 suffice f to hold the in any'approved manner and smaller screws 1 20, hold the matv or grid 12in the (frame 14.

24 in the top thereof, j

strengthen the bars 22,. and

reinforcing bar .26, is provided extending i Directly,underneaththejgrid 12 and at- N rachedto thefi'ame'14 by bolts 32 is a;rec

tangul ar casing 34,madeofisheet iron or any other suitable material and preferably painted 0 enameled. with a bottom 36 sloping to a central Waste pipe 38, preferably fitted with a strainer, member 40. Internally projecting lugs 42 are provided on the frame 14, adapted for the reception of the screws 20, and also to maintain the grid in position together with the casing, which is provided with notches to fit over the lugs.

Extendingaround the lowerpart of the casing 34, and communicating with the interior thereof, by means of the perforations 44, is the flush pipe 46. This pipe-canbe either integral with or attached to the casing 34 in any convenient manner, and has leading into it a supply pipe 48. An overflow pipe 50 is connected to the upper part of the casing at 52, andis joined with the waste pipe at 54.

The operation is as follows:

A person, before climbingthestepsor entering the house, scrapes his shoes on the mat or grid 12 and any mud or dirt from the shoes falls through the grid to the in side of thecasing 34 and is deposited upon the sloping-bottom 36 thereof. At intervals which can be controlled either manually or This casing34 is provided over flow pipe 50, which obviously may be connected to the waste pipe 38 at any convenient point.

The flush pipe may be operated intermittently in any ordinary manner, especially when the device is used inlargebuildings,

but as this forms no part of my invention,

it is not described herein; another method of'fiushingthe casing may be by push button or suitably controlled valve, which may be operated only when deemed necessary. This may -be applied in residences or smaller houses. Any other method of flushing may be Iprovided.

t will be seen that herein is provided. a sanitary foot mat which is automatically washed and which positively will not allow of any accumulation of mud or dirt, so that no dirt is'carried into the house. If, however, the device should become stopped up, any excess water will escape by means of the over flow pipe, and the strainer 40 can be easily cleaned by simply removing the two screws 20 and pulling up the grating by means of a hook or the like, thereby affording ready access to the interior. i

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a foot mat, a grid, comprising bars of suitable'shape for cleaning shoes, a casing beneath the grid, and means for flushing the casing. I

2. In a foot mat the combination of a rectangular frame flush with a pavement and formed to supportlafgrid, and a grid in the frame, said frame having the inner.

face of one of its members inclined and the inner face of the opposite member inclined so as to be parallelto the first mentioned face, whereby fastening, one end of the gird is sufiicient to secure it in the frame, a casing under the grid, and means for flushing the casing.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a shoe scraper, a receptacle thereunder, a strainer in the bottom of said receptacle, a flushing device for said receptacle, a drain pipe connected to the bottom of said receptacle beneath said strainer,

and an overflow pipe connecting a point of said receptacle above said strainer with said drain pipe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y ADOLPH P. BITTER.

Witnesses y LAWRENCE 'Rnnas'rnm, CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr. 

